Gwyneth J. Saunders/The Sun Today The Sun Tones barbershop group rehearse for the March 10 concert. The group was founded 10 years ago and sings at various functions as a group and as individual quartets.

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Down by the old mill stream ... or more correctly, near a Sun City lagoon, groups of men and women practice songs that recall the days of trolleys, ice cream parlors, bandstands in the park and easy-to-sing tunes.

Rehearsing on separate days, the 50 men of New River Harmony and the 30 women of the Sun Tones are preparing for their March 10 combined annual barbershop concert. Adding to the program will be BLacKJack, the Barbershop Harmony Society 2011 International Senior Quartet fourth place Medalists and 2009 Dixie District Senior Quartet Champions.

Almost anyone can sing four-part harmony if they can sing. Not everyone can sing four-part harmony a cappella and create the much-desired tone known as the "barbershop seventh." Its importance and quality is such that singers and listeners both know when they've hit it ... and when they haven't.

In rehearsal

Brian Franck, men’s director, tweaks the sounds as the men rehearse. Some are old hands at the music, others are brand new.

“We just like to get together and sing barbershop,” said Bill “Duke” Andrusic, who has 48 years of harmony under his straw boater.

Fred Zoda is the group’s newest member, but at 92 is not the youngest. Nor is he new to singing since he is frequently found where musicians gather.

“A fellow I sang with in a church choir said to me ‘Hey, you might like to do this.’ And I did,” Zoda said.

Mary Scovel, a former music therapist, leads the women in their music. Barbershop isn’t easy. The singers can get out of tune quickly without instruments and parts can go flat or sharp, throwing off other singers.

“When you sing barbershop, you can’t think of anything else,” said Beverly Johnston who started the group 10 years ago with fellow singer Gail Burrell. “I like it. It’s like having 30 sisters.”

Different barbershop groups arrange the voices in different ways with one goal in mind: Ringing the sound, says June Gamble.

“Instead of hearing four parts, we have an overtone if we sing really well. It doesn’t happen often,” Gamble said. “The four parts have to listen to each other very carefully. You can’t just sing for yourself.”

On the program

The women go into “The Trolley Song,” a piece that also includes the odd instrument or two — such as a wooden block, cowbell and triangle. Some pieces call for a little choreography, others require a straight face just to sing.

The men rehearse “Shenandoah,” “Georgia On My Mind” and “Sitting on Top of the World.” And then they get into a real tongue-twister — “Ashmolean Marching Society

And Students’ Conservatory Band.”

The music is something that calls to them.

“I sing because I have to,” said Jeff Glazer. “I’m not happy if I don’t sing. This harmony is so close it cannot be played on a piano. And when it’s done well, it really works.”

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